Dean Burgett and "The Fiery Furnace"

Описание: Paul Burgett got his start at the University of Rochester as a student when he enrolled at the Eastman School of Music in 1964. That beginning eventually led him to a role as the dean of students at Eastman and later to his current role as a vice president at the University and senior presidential advisor.

As he explains to incoming students at Eastman in a talk that has been fondly dubbed the "fiery furnace" by those who have heard it over the years, his path was not always certain. As only he can do, Dean Burgett captivates students with his energy, enthusiasm and humor on the topic of academic pursuits. We must all enter the fiery furnace, as he puts it, which has become a metaphor to describe the challenges and obstacles that each student will inevitably encounter, and overcome in the process of earning their degree.

The talk, which has evolved over more than three decades, could be described as a one-man morality play about the college experience. It has become familiar to just about anyone who has spent time at the University and is one of many traditions that is part of the full experience for any Rochester student. It's a good reminder, as Dean Burgett likes to point out to any student sitting in the front row, that they are sitting where he once sat and just like he did, they may someday have the opportunity to rise through the ranks and perhaps even stand on that stage as the University president. More important is the familiar refrain that appears throughout the talk that their "passion and ability drive ambition". Whatever their goal in life may be, it is this mindset that will allow students to find success wherever they set their sights.